CORAL HARBOUR - A host of challenges presented themselves earlier this month when the worst blizzard of the winter so far roared through the Kivalliq.

Coral Harbour residents Rhoda and Joe Angootealuk have a challenge to free their vehicle after a blizzard ripped across the Kivalliq earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Noel Kaludjak

The storm played havoc with the region, shutting hamlets down from three to five days.

The only planes that were seen most of the week in the Kivalliq were on TV.

And while that affected every hamlet, Baker Lake found itself hosting female soccer players from four different Kivalliq communities for the entire week.

The girls were in Baker for the Kivalliq Regional Female Soccer Championship.

Only players from Coral Harbour and Chesterfield Inlet were able to get out of Baker before the storm hit.

Sport Nunavut sport manager Kyle Seeley said the host committee, in combination with his office, did a great job of ensuring the needs of the athletes were met.

"A lot of the kids were billeted and others were put into vacant staff houses," said Seeley.

"We had people bring entire teams to their homes for meals, and others would drop off prepared meals to where the players were staying.

"The community really came together to accommodate these kids."

Seeley said the players, and their coaches, deserve recognition for their demeanours during the week.

He said they all did what they could to make the best of a bad situation.

"They were in great spirits all week and we couldn't have asked for any better attitude, conduct and enthusiasm," he said.

"They were glad to get home, but they didn't complain while they were here.

"It went as well as a seven-day-blizzard delay could be expected to go."

Coral Harbour SAO Ron Ladd said the hamlet plays it safe when storms approach and reminds everyone to conserve water because hamlet trucks can't get out in blizzard conditions.

He said the lack of planes is always a concern, especially for extended periods of time.

"It can be difficult when there's no fresh bread, milk or produce getting in, but people need to be reminded, from time to time, to keep necessary items on hand because we will get our share of storms," said Ladd.

"We also ask people to stay inside as much as possible for obvious reasons."

Ladd said Coral's biggest concern is the lack of an emergency generator at the airport.

He said the hamlet has been asking the Nunavut government for one for the past three years with no success.

"We only have portable generators if the power goes out during a storm, and somebody still has to go outside to hook them up so the building doesn't freeze," he said.

"And we desperately need runway lights for landings in bad weather."

Ladd said the hamlet has backup plans in place, which include sending Rangers to line the runway with their snowmobiles if an emergency landing is needed.

"We also have pots that burn kerosene to line the runway, but, again, someone has to physically go out to do these things," he said.

"That's a significant challenge in Coral because it's 18 kilometres to the airport.

"It's frustrating because a simple generator would do away with all that risk, yet we still go without."